Current rumors and news on transfers involving Liverpool, as the ECHO evaluates Arne Slot’s priorities before his debut season as head coach of the Reds
Arne Slot will be busy getting Liverpool ready for the new season over the next few weeks. The 45-year-old will aim to make the most of his first Premier League start when it returns next month, having already been tasked with replacing Jurgen Klopp in the dugout at Anfield.
Off the field, Liverpool is expected to make a lot of new additions during the busy summer transfer season. Slot’s team does not yet have any new members, but there is still time before the September 2 deadline for changes to be made.
Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip, Adrian, and other players that left Anfield this summer also left the team. A few athletes will also be returning from their individual loan stints with a resolve to make sure their fates are resolved before the window ends.
Here, the ECHO examines the most crucial tasks that Liverpool needs to complete this summer in order to prepare for the 2024–2025 campaign.
Dani Olmo autographs
If you were unaware of Dani Olmo prior to the European Championship this summer, you are now aware of her. It’s hardly surprising that several of Europe’s top teams, including Liverpool, are showing interest in the 26-year-old.
With three goals in Germany, Olmo’s heroics earned him both the Golden Boot and a medal for winning Euro 2024. After Liverpool acquired Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konate, and Naby Keita from the Red Bull Arena, RB Leipzig is no stranger to the idea of losing some of its best players.
Manchester City is supposedly vying with the Reds for Olmo, who is believed to have a £50 million release clause that expires on July 20. Gazumping City for the attacker would be a great way for the revamped Liverpool to send a message to the rest of the league.
There is no better way to get a player who is riding high after a fantastic tournament than the Spaniard, who is rapidly approaching the pinnacle of his career. Olmo is a dynamic attacker who can play as an attacking midfielder on the left, right, or in the middle, therefore he matches the template that Liverpool had previously set.
introduced a new center-back
Matip’s contract at Anfield expired this summer, meaning that Liverpool lost a reliable component of their backline. The knee injury that interrupted his career forced the Cameroonian center defender to miss the most of the season.
Conate’s problems also exposed the weaknesses in Klopp’s defense as manager at the time. Jarell Quansah, a young player, advanced and became a valuable addition to Virgil van Dijk’s team.
To safeguard Alisson Becker’s goal, Liverpool must, however, bolster their defense more in light of the recent improvements made to the front line and midfield.
Liverpool should select a seasoned Premier League defender as they are set to miss out on Leny Yoro; in recent months, Marc Guehi and Levi Colwill have been mentioned.
Guehi still has his best years in front of him. He also shone at the European Championship. The Englishman would not represent a drop in quality from Slot’s current alternatives, and the Reds would get a center defender under tremendous pressure at Crystal Palace—Patrick Viera even named him captain.
In addition to being youthful and promising, Guehi fits the Liverpool mold because he has played in the English Premier League for more than 150 senior games and 98 appearances overall.
The 24-year-old’s contract at Selhurst Park is still up in two years, but it would be great to have him at Anfield among Van Dijk, Konate, Quansah, and Joe Gomez in the defensive line.
Anthony Gordon choice
Luis Diaz’s future has been called into question in light of reports from Spain indicating Barcelona’s interest in him. One of the Premier League’s most lethal attackers, Diaz has shown to be a valuable signing from FC Porto.
The Colombian is unquestionably a valuable addition to the Reds assault, even though his final product occasionally lacks much to be desired. There was perhaps some surprise among some Liverpool fans when the news of the talks with Anthony Gordon broke. Gordon is well-known among the Reds since, before to his highly publicized transfer to Newcastle United, he had his breakthrough at Everton across Stanley Park.
Any Premier League team would benefit from having Gordon on staff, and Liverpool is no exception. The Reds have many of options on the left side of the front three, and Cody Gakpo’s rise to prominence there has presented Slot with an additional challenge this season that Klopp chose not to consider.
Granted, there are a few dominoes to fall before Liverpool sign Gordon since players will have to depart to make room for a left-wing opening. Newcastle reportedly wants to pay $100 million for Gordon’s services, so if the Reds were to receive an offer for Diaz that was more than £60 million, they would take it and use the money to fund their pursuit of Gordon.
All of that is contingent upon Barcelona’s continued pursuit of Nico Williams. The Athletic Bilbao player was a bright spot for Spain during their victory in Euro 2024, and all signs point to Hansi Flick’s team signing one of the best prospects in Europe.
However, Gordon will stay in the Northeast and Diaz will stay put unless a good offer is made for him; nevertheless, the potential move would have surely sown a seed for the future.
Finalized contracts
You don’t need ambiguity under any regime. Klopp promptly allayed fears that Slot will have to follow suit during his tenure at Anfield.
Allowing rumors and scrutiny to run rampant among the team is the worst way to begin life at a new team. Up until now, the Liverpool ship has operated tightly, with little to no leaks. The Reds just need to look at Manchester United, or Arsenal in the capital, for a North West example of how not to implement backup plans after a former manager’s great stint.
Having said that, three crucial players from the previous five years and important components of the team—Trent Alexander Arnold, Mohamed Salah, and Van Dijk—are nearing the end of their Anfield contracts.
It is imperative that they bind Alexander-Arnold to a five-year deal. The Liverpool player is already a legend, but he has the opportunity to become even more legendary at Anfield by wearing the captain’s armband forever.
Additionally, two-year extensions must to be granted to Van Dijk and Salah as a sign of gratitude and trust in order to prevent running into another issue in a year.
